The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-08-13

it, and finally had to go in search of a railway omnibus, as no cabman would consent to hoist such a big trunk on his cab.
 But finally all things were arranged, and Miss Rayner came down stairs and got into the omnibus. She had her little travelling bag in one hand two thick letters in the other. The driver was directed to stop at the general postoffice, so that she might mail these last, which she insisted up- on doing with her own hands. I could not pelp noticing, however, that one of them was directed to the American Legation st Paris.
 It was very dreary journey. The month was November, and a dull gray mist, varied by fitful rain, hung over the landscape and shrouded the hori- Zon. The country was flat and unin- teresting, and when, after the five hours journey by train, and the drive of some three miles in a rickety old carriage, we reached our destination, could not but confess to myself that Miss Ray nei's taste ill regard to d country residence was singular, to say the least of it.
 The house was low, built of stone, and was situated some distance from the main road. It was of good di- mensions, though only two stories high. An avenue of poplars, stream ing with the rain, led up to the door and looked to me like row of spec tral sentinels keeping guard over 1he domain. A sturdy old peasant woman came out to help me in with the trunk, which Miss Rayner refused to have carried up stairs, giving us or ders, on the contrary, to deposit it in the drawing room.
 That apartment was much less dis nal looking than 1 had anticipated, from my first impression of the house. The waxed and polished floor, though uncarpeted, was partly covered by handsome though faded rugs. The furniture was all in worsted work: the pattern, great roses and tulips on a background of faded yellow silk; the whole the work probably of some in- dustrious lady, who had lived and fiourished half century ago. An antiquated looking but beautifully in- laid piano occupied one corner of the room, and an equally ancient looking harp stood beside it. There were pie lures on the walls, faded portraits, and battle-scene or two. A large fire was blazing on the hearth, which gave the old fashioned room a more comfortable and cheery aspect than had expected.
 Miss Rayner glanced anound, but made no comment, and as soon as her trunk was safely deposited in corn CT near the door she summoned me to her side to go out and inspect with her the exterior of her domain. The rain had ceased by this time, but the sky was lowering and the air was damp and chilly. l ventured, there fore, to remonstrate with her on the imprudence of mourning fresh fatigue in such an atmosphere in her invalid condition; but she silenced me with an imperative gesture and we set out
 Leaving the house on the right, she stuck across the grounds at rapid pace. These might have been hand some once, put they now lacked at tention sadly. The trees grew thick and unpruned, here and there dead one showing It's gray withered trunk and decaying branches. The paths were almost obliterated with grass and weeds, and bushes had sprung up ev- anywhere in wild luxuriance. The house and grounds had evidently been left untenanted for long time, per haps for years.
 Our walk was not pleasant one. Fortunately it was short. At some little distance from the house and completely screened from it by the trees and bushes we came suddenly upon a gloomy-l looking pond or pool of moderate dimensions. The water was not stagnant, being evidently fed by unseen springs, and it found an outlet at one side in little brook that rippled noisily across the wet turf. The pool itself was black and sullen- looking. With its surround ings of leafess trees and withered dripping bushes, it had sinister as pect. l could picture to myself that gloomy water closing pitilessly and si- lently over some doomed head, or hid ing beneath its surface so e terrible secret.
 Miss Rayner paused upon the brink and looked down with a thoughtful gaze.
 "This pond," she said, after pause, lis called by the peasants of the sur rounding country the Bottomless Pool. And the house wonder bears the name of 'Le Manoir de PEtang Sans Fond (Bottomless Pool Manor). They tell numbers of stories about the deeds that have been committed on its brink and the mysteries that its depths are SunnOsn1 tn hi6a nurspr fha 6.s4